By james art On Wednesday afternoon, a suspicious car parked outside Birmingham Airport in the UK’s West Midlands caused the airport to be closed for hours.
The bomb scare raised security concerns. Both inbound and outbound flights were paused, delayed and at least one was canceled.
The hours-long wait was a frustration for many vacationers and travelers as plans had to be canceled, postponed and delayed. Schedules and meetings would also be affected by the delays.
Bomb disposal experts rushed to the mystery vehicle parked near the building. West Midlands Police told The Independent that customers were evacuated and a cordon was put in place following reports of the vehicle.
“Following a search by the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team, the vehicle was deemed safe,” a spokesman said, “The vehicle is no longer being treated as suspicious.”
Everything continued as it should have once the car was deemed safe. Although delays and cancellations had already affected thousands at the airport.
Bomb scare causes delays and cancellations at Birmingham Airport
While bomb squads and police tried to deal with the potential bomb situation, people at the airport were not told anything.
Waiting for hours inexplicably is an incredibly frustrating situation to find yourself in. Especially at any airport.
“Absolute chaos @emirates at Birmingham airport. 400 people waiting and no form of communication or plan… we’ve been here for six hours!” posted an upset victim of the delays.
“Stuck on the plane, feeling claustrophobic, begging to get off. How long will this situation last?” another posted.
As one of those present at the airport was evacuated, others had to stay. The lack of communication was the main frustration for those at the airport. However, telling everyone about a potential bomb threat can make things even worse.
“Everyone’s safety was our primary concern and as a precaution the airport was partially evacuated so the vehicle could be searched and assessed,” the spokesperson continued.
Cases of delay are never pleasant. However, such things are of no concern to the authorities when a life may be at stake.